Valve



l June 17, 1924.

i 1,497,726 W7 J. KEENAN ET AL.

4 VALVE Filed Feb.25, 1922 A v l| WITNEfssEs: f3 l @VENTOR' cj/Qwv ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM'. J'. KEENAN AND JOHN C. DUNCAN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA; SAID KEENAN ASSIG'NOR TO SAID DUNCAN.

VALVE.

i Application led February 25, v1922. Serial No. 539,071.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. KEENAN and JOHN C. DUNCAN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Improvement in Valves, of which the following is a speciication.

Y The invention relates to valves an-d it has particular relation to safety valves for gas mains adapted to permit gas to escape when the pressure thereof exceeds a predetermined value.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a valve, of the character described,

in which the movable valve member is provided with a flexible or yieldable'portion or diaphragm which is adapted to cooperate with the valve seat to effect a uniform contact therewith and which will conform to slight irregularities thereof, thereby eliminating the accurate grinding an-d fitting heretofore necessary.

A Another object of the invention is to provide a valve of the character described, having a chamber or reservoir formed therein which is adapted to contain a lubricant for preserving the diaphragm and maintaining the same soft and pliable, or for containing a liquid such as mercury for causing the diaphragm to conform to any irregularities in the seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve, of the character designated, that is simple of construction yandl operation and one that may be manufactured and assembled at relatively small expense.

, With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may` beincident to the utilization of the improvement, the invention consists inthe parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth ,and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, means are shown inl the accompanying drawings for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications,

toy the particularV constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, are made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalV View through a valve constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the Inovable valve member illustrating the yieldable diaphragm. l

Fig. 5 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in vertical longitudinal section, of another form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the valve member illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of `the valve member illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Referring to the drawings, a valve constructed in accordance with the invention is shown as comprising a substantially cylindrical casing 1, the lower portion of which is formed with a tubular extension 2 adapted to be threaded onto the end of a pipe?) communicating with a gas main, not shown.

The upper lportion of the casing 1 is open to the atmosphere and is provided with an overhanging hood or cover Il which is preferably formed with a substantially conical upper portion 5 and with a depending peripheral ange 6 which extends downwardly beyond the upper edge of the cas-- ing 1 and is adapted to prevent rain and foreign matter fromentering directly into the casing.

The hood 4 is removably supported upon the casing 1 and in spaced relation therewith by means of a plurality of inwardly extending lugs 7 which are formed integrally with the hood and which engage the upper edge of the casing 1. The flange 6 of the hood 4 is provided with a set screw 8 which engages a recess 9 formed in the side of the casing 1 and which `prevents the displacement thereof.

The bottom of the casing l-is formed with an axial opening into which a member 10, formed with a centrally disposed aperture 11, is securely pressed. The upper face of the member 1Q is formed with an upwardly extend-ing and relatively sharp'rib or edge 12 which surrounds the aperture 11, and which constitutes the valve seat.

A valve member, indicated as a whole at 13, is mounted for vertical slidable movement Within the casing 1 and is formed with a plurality of radially extending ribs 14 which engage the casing 1 and maintain the valve accurately positioned therein.

vmember 15 fformedwith a recess 16, adapted' to contain a suitable lubricant, or liquid such as mercury, is secured to the lower portion of the member 13- by means of any', extension 17 provided on the member 15 whichy is pressedl into an aperture formed in tlfiejlovver facel of the member 13. yieldable diaphragm' 18, preferably of leather or other` fibrous material is stretchedfacross the'recess 16 andrk is securedin position by means of a ring' 19. The diaphragm 18 is adapted to yieldably engage the annular rib 1,2[andfconstitutes the closure for the aperture 11.

The diaphragm 18 `supports the weight of the member 13 and by reason of its inherent yieldability conforms to the shape of the rib-,1f2 to effect avery accurate closure. The lubricantcontained within the reservoir 16 is preferably in the form of av viscous grease and' is adapted to be absorbed by the diaphragm 18, thereby4 maintaining the same Sofft andfpliable and materially vincreasing its li e.

The weight ofthe member 13 issuflieient to maintain thel diaphragm 18 in contact withthe valve seat to close the aperture 11 underjnormalpressure but if the pressure exceeds aA predetermined value, the entire valve `willloe raised vertically` permitting the gastoescapebetween the flanges 14 of the member. 13 and; over the upper edge of the casinglaals indicated by thearrows in Fig. 1. w Thegupper portion of the member 13 is provided Vwith anV axial extension or protnherance2t) whiclris adapted to engage the hoodl toflimit the'vertical movement of the member. 13. Y Y In Figs. 5 and.6, there is illustrated a different fornr of the invention in which the 4member 15 is provided with a downwardly extending pin 21 over which a diaphragm 221isstretched and maintained in position ley-means ofY a ring x23.VV The closure thus formed-Eis substantially conical in shape and is. adaptedivto project a slight distance into tliefaperture 11,4 the upper edge of which maybecountersunk or beveled, asat 24, if so desired.. vThe space betweenthe pin 21 and thediaphragm 22 constitutes a reservoir 25 tojsupplyr a preserving lubricant to the dial phragm 22.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a very durable valve mechanism is provided that will accommodate itself to sli ht irregularities in the contour of the v: ve seat, thereby eliminating the accurate machining Vand grinding heretofrne necessary in structures of this general character.

`What we claim as our invention is 1. A valve including a valve seat, a movable weight provided with a recess adjacent said valve seat and a fiexible diaphragm secured to said weight across the recess so as to present an unsupported surface for yielding Contact with said valve seat. w

2. A valve comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, one ofsaidmembers having an exit aperture therein, a yield-` able member carried by one of said members' for co-operation with the other to close saidZ aperture, one of said membersv bein formed* witha recess adjacent to said yielda le member adapted to contain a lubricant for absorption by said yieldable member.

3. A valve comprising a casing a valve seat contained therein provided with anexit" aperture, a movable weight disposed witliin said casing and provided with a recess adapted to contain a lubricant, a librous dia*- phragm carried by said. weight and adjacent to said recess for engagement with said valve seat to close said aperture.

4. A valvecomprising a casing, a hood carried thereby, and in spaced relation therewith, a valve seat formed in the lower por"` tion of said casing and having an openin" therein, a. member movably mounted in sai' casing and provided with a plurality ofredially extending rib portions adaptedftc maintain said member in spaced relation with Vrespect to said casing, means carried said movable memberfor enga ement wit said hood to limit the vertica movement thereof and a compressible member carried by said movable member for engagement' with said valve seat to close the opening therein. w

5. A valve comprising a substantiallycupshaped casing, a hood carried by the upper portion of said casing and in spaced'xrelatlon' therewith, a valve seat formed in the lower portion of said casing and having an opening therein, a vertically movable valve member disposed within said casing and having a plurality of channels formed in the outer surface and a recess in the lower portion thereof, said recess adapted to contain a liibricant, a fibrous diaphragm stretched across said recess and in contact witlrthe lubricant contained therein and adapted toV engage said valve seat to close the openingtherein, and an extension carried by said movable valve member for engagement with said hood to limit the vertical movement thereof.

6. A valve including a valve seat and a cup-shaped member, movable with relation to said valve seat, and having a flexible diaphragm secured across the mouth thereof for yielding Contact with said valve seat.

7. A valve including a valve seat and a movable cup-shaped member having a flexible diaphragm Vsecured across the mouth thereof and adapted to engage said valve seat, said valve seat having a smaller area than the mouth of said movable member.

8. A valve including a valve seat and an inverted cup-shaped member, movable with relation to said valve seat, and having a ilexible diaphragm secured across the mouth thereof so as to present an unsupported surface for yielding contact With said valve seat.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 18th day of February, 1922.

WILLIAM J. KEENAN. JOHN c. DUNCAN. 

